National Park Authority responds

Exmoor National Park Authority has published its response to Natural England’s consultation on a Best Practice Guide for burning in the uplands of South West England. A report went to the Authority meeting in June this year where Members had the opportunity to discuss and debate the issue.

In recent years there has been increasing local concern that controlled burning is declining as a land management practice and this is leading to a substantial build up of vegetation and scrub on many moorland areas.

Sarah Bryan, the National Park Authority’s Natural Environment Manager says: “Allowing an extensive build up of moorland vegetation is undesirable for many reasons including landscape, biodiversity, conservation of archaeology, public access, lack of forage and an increased risk of damaging wild fires so it’s important that we help to ensure that the new Guidelines benefit Exmoor and recognise the traditional methods of moorland management here.

"The Authority supports the use of controlled burning as part of the moorland management cycle and the proposed good practice guide has an important role in enabling farmers and land managers to carry out moorland management within the legal requirements."

The Authority’s response is available by visiting: http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/index/looking_after.htm

To view Defra’s Regulations visit: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/burning/default.aspx